of the sacred books of the Old Testament; being the last of those written by Moses; (see Pentateuch). The word is Greek, compounded of δεύτερος, second, and νόμος, law.

Deuteronomy was written in the 40th year after the delivery from Egypt, in the country of the Moabites, beyond Jordan; Moses being then in the 120th year of his age. It contains, in Hebrew, 11 parashes; though only 10 in the edition of the rabbins at Venice; 20 chapters, and 955 verses. In the Greek, Latin, and other versions, it contains 34 chapters. The last is not of Moses. Some say, it was added by Joshua immediately after Moses's death; which is the most probable opinion. Others will have it added by Esdras.